The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to a device and method for collecting tissue samples, and, more particularly, but not exclusively, to biopsy needles introduced into the body within a sheath.
Sampling of body tissues is often required to help in diagnosis and disease staging of patients. Numerous tools and devices for such purpose have been disclosed. Many comprise a narrow elongated guide or sheath through which a sampling needle or blade is advanced to take a sample, and then retracted.
On Mar. 24, 2010 the Applicant of the current application filed a PCT application published under International Publication Number WO 2010/113080. That application is referred to as “PCT '080” herein.
PCT '080 presents inter alia a variety of configurations of blades (generally labeled blade 10 in the application) which comprise a sharp anterior portion 12 designed for penetrating into tissue, and one or more recesses or notches which comprise sharp or pointed edges capable of cutting and ripping-off some of the tissue into which blade 10 penetrates, which notches or recesses are generally labeled recesses 16 or notches 16 in PCT '080. These notches or recesses are shown as positioned on the sharp edges of blade 10 as shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1G, and on an otherwise flat side of blade 10 in FIGS. 1D, 1E, and 1F of PCT '080.